Machine for treating incandescent mantles.



No. 639,333. Patented Dec. l9, I899.

u. H. ABERCROMBI'E. MACHINE FOR TREATING INCANDESGE-NT MA'NTLES.

(Application filed Sept. 5, 1899.)

4 SheetsSheeat I (No Model.)

No. 639,333. Patented Dec. l9, I899.

J.- H.-ABEHCROMBIE. MACHINE FORTRE ATING INCANDESCENT MAN-'I'LES.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

No. 639,333. Patented Dec. l9, I899. J. H. ABERCBOMBIE.

MACHINE FOR TREATING INCANDESCENT MANTLES.

I (Application filed Sept. 5, 1899.) 0 B 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

coolinf 9 M m! n e D d e t n B t a P .L B M 0 R c R E B A H l 3 3 3 9 36 0 N MACHINE FOR TREATING INGANDES'CENT MANTLE'S.

(Application filed Sept. 5, 1899.)

4 Sheets-8heet 4.

(No Model.)

A m V 1 I 1 7 THE "cums pz'rzns c0, mmuuruo" WASHINGTON. by c.

Nrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES II. ABERCROMBIE, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF ANDROBERT E. SYMINGTON, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE-FOR TREATING INCANDE SCENT MANTLES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N 0. 639,333, dated December19, 1899. Application filed September 5, 1899. Serial No. 729,426. (Nomodel.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. ABERCROM- BIE, a subject of the Queen ofGreat Britain, residing in Newark, in the county of Essex and State ofNewJersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementin Machinesfor Treating Incandescent Mantles, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of the present invention is to provide a single machine inwhich a number of steps in the manufacture of mantlesas, for example,the burning off, shaping, and hardening, and also the dipping and trimming--may be automatically performed upon each of a series of mantles insuccession, and thus elfect a saving in labor and insure greateruniformity in the finished articles.

The invention consists of an endless carrier or belt running onsuit-able pulleys equipped with a series of holders, each adapted to support a mantle in position for treatment, and a series of treatingdevices located in the path of the mantles in such relation thereto asto be properly presented to each and so mounted as to accompany eachmantle through a portion of its travel, performing its part in thetreatment and then returning to repeat the action with a succeedingmantle. A portion of the treatment-as the burning off, shaping, andhardeningrequires the agency of a heating-flame, while at a later stagethe mantle is dipped in a bath of collodion or analogous inflammablesolution. It is obvious that to 5 avert danger of accidental fire greatcaremust be taken to effectually separate these portions of thetreatment. This is accomplished by traversing the bolt through smallopenings in a partition, on one side of which the steps re- 0 quiringthe presence of flame are performed,

and on the other side of the partition, completely isolated from theflame, are the dipping-tank and the other devices for acting upon themantle after it has received its in- 5 flammable coating. Y

The invention also consists in certain details of construction andarrangement of parts to be hereinafter described.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and show apreferred form of the invention.

Figure l is a plan view of the machine, showing the'partition-wall inhorizontal sec tion. Fig. 2 is a corresponding elevation showing theportion on the near side of the partition, and Fig. 3 is a similar viewof the portion on the far side of the partition. Of the remaining views,Figs. 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 14 show portions of the mechanism on alarger scale. Fig. 4 is an elevation, partly in vertical section,showing the arrangement of the device for burning off. Fig. 5 is asimilar view showing the dipping-reservoir and the immediately adjacentparts, and Fig. 6 is a corresponding view of the trimming mechanism. Theremaining figures show an arrangement adapted for more rapid working.Fig.

7 is aplan view of the entire machine. Fig. 8 is a side elevation. Fig.9 is a vertical section, partly in elevation, showing a. portion of themechanism and the arrangement of the burners therein. Fig. 10 is asimilar View showing the dipping wheel or carriage. Fig. 11 is acorresponding view of the trimmingwheel. Fig. 12 shows a section throughthe testing carriage or wheel. Fig. 13 shows in plan view abranding-wheel, and Fig. 14 is a vertical section of the same on alarger scale.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures. 8o

1 Referring to Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, A, A A and A are flanged pulleysfixed on the vertical shafts a, a a and a and re volving therewith insuitable bearings, (not shown,) one pair on each side of a partitionwallS having openings .5, through which passes an endless belt or carrier B,running on all four pulleys, and thus forming an approximate rectangledivided lengthwise by the wall S. The belt is driven in the directionindicated by the arrows by a belt running on the pulley A on the shaft(1 driven at the desired moderate speed from any suitablemotor.(Notshown) The beltB carries a series of holders 0 at equally-spacedinter- 5 vals, each containing a vertical bar or slide D free to riseand sink therein and equipped at the lower end with a roller D incontact with the upper face of a track E below the belt and paralleltherewith, and at the upper end of each slide is a socket D receivingand holding the wire support M of amantle M,

' ing step at A attached thereto, as usual, and hanging suspended in aline outside the belt. The several holders 0, with their slides, travelwith the belt in the direction indicated by the arrows, as will beunderstood, the vertical position of the mantles relatively to the beltbeing determined by the elevations and depressions in the track E.

F is a Bunsen burner located at A near the shaft a, receiving gas andair through flexible tubes F and mounted on a carriage F free to travela short distance and return on the fixed guide-bars F parallel with thepath of the mantles and presenting the burnertube directly below them. Atrip-lever F is mounted in the carriage and arranged to be struck by anarm 0 on each of the holders 0, and thus force the carriage to partakeof the motion of the belt, with its burner immediately below the mantle,and accompany the latter until the trip-lever strikes the beveled faceof the fixed stop F and is tilted to release its hold on the arm 0, whenthe carriage, with its connections, is returned to its original positionby the action of a weight F attached to the carriage by a cord F runningover the pulley F F and F are bars attached to the fixed framework andserve by acting upon the arms F and F of the air and gas cocks tocondition the flame,as required. There are three of these burners andcarriages, each similar to the others, differing only in the length oftravel and the adjustment of the The above description will suffice forall. The one described is located at the burning-off station at AAnother having a shorter travel is located at a considerable distancefrom the first and performs the shap- The third at A has aconsiderablylonger travel and performs the hardening process. It will beobserved that all of the above steps requiring the use of a flame areperformed on the near side of the partition-Wall S. On the other sidethe first step at A is the dipping, in which a carriage G similar to thecarriage F described, carries a vertical cylindrical reservoir G,containing collodion, located directly beneath the mantle and having atrip-lever Gr engaged by the arm 0', as before, until released by thestop G and returned by the cord G A long interval to, allow the ether orother solvent to evaporate is provided for before the trimming operationat A is reached.

At this point a pair of guide-bars H support a carriage H having aninwardly-projecting arm H, supporting a guide-ring H, having a flaringupper mouth presented in line with and a little below the mantle M. Theinternal diameter of this ring is a little larger than the externaldiameter of the mantle, so that the latter may be received therein, aswill be described. The carriage H is equipped with a trip-lever Hoperated by contact with a stop H and returned by a Weight H cord 1-1and pulley H On the inner face of the carriage, below the guide-ring, isa bracket 1-1", having a tubular bearing I-I inclosing a sleeve Hflanged at the upper end at H and provided with a grooved pulley H belowthe hearing. The flange supports a vertical bell-crank lever I, pivotedat i and carrying at its upper end a cutter-wheel I, arranged to lienormally in the center of the ring and adapted to coact with theproperlyshaped lower face of the ring in shearing off the skirt of amantle suspended therein. The cutter is rapidly rotated by a belt Hrunningon the grooved pulley H from a pulley (not shown) located at asufficient distance to allow the carriage to make the desired travelwithout greatly varying the tension on the belt. The bell-crank lever isthrown to bring the cutter-wheel into action by the rod L, mountedaxially in the sleeve and having a conical upper end engaged in acorrespondingly-shaped cavity 1" in the short arm of the lever and itslower end equipped with a flanged roller 1 resting on a track N, inwhich is a slight elevation at, serving when reached in the travel toelevate the rod L, and thus tilt the lever I against the force of theretractile spring 1 attached at one end to the lever at the point I andat the other to a stud H on the flange H The operation is as follows:Mantles are supplied at .the donning-station A, each slide on itspassage receiving one supported on its wire M and properly positioned inthe socket D The track E is sufliciently elevated at this point e tohold the slide at a height to alloy easy service. The mantle travelsaround the pulley A and into the long forward portion of its journey,and as itreaches A its arm 0 engages the trip-lever F at the time themantle hangs directly above the burner F and moves the carriage Fforward upon the guide-bars F against the force exerted by the weight FAs the roller D descends the incline e of the track the mantle iscorrespondingly lowered, inclosing the upper portion of the burner, andas soon as the forward movement has progressed sufficiently to bring thearms F and F into contact with the bars F and F air and gas are admittedin proper quantities to condition the flame, which was previously onlysufficient to main tain ignition to fully ignite the mantle on theinterior near the top. Then the roller begins to ascend the incline e tofree the mantle from the burner and the trip-lever F strikes the stop Fand releases the carriage, which immediately returns to act on the nextsucceeding mantle. Theignited mantle now traverses a long stretch,during which it burns off, leaving only the delicate salts,.and thenreaches the station A where it is acted upon momentarily by a burnersimilar to that at A but conditioned to shape the mantle into thedesiredsymmetrical form, the track E having at this point the inclines e 6serving to bring the mantle into the required relation to the burner forthis process. The next step or hardening operation at A consists ofraising and lowering the mantle over a suitably-conditioned flame and isaccomplished by the undulations 6 The burner in this step accompaniesthe mantle through alonger travel than in any of the preceding. Themantle next turns the pulley A and passes through an opening 3 in thepartition S and then around the pulley A and enters the return portionof its travel on the opposite side of the partition. It arrivesthoroughly cooled at the dipping-station A where its arm G engages thetrip-lever G4 on the carriage G and moves the latter with it, while theroller D descends the deep incline e and submerges the mantle in thesolution contained in the reservoir G, holding it beneath the surfaceuntil all parts are fully wetted and then again rises on the incline eto free the mantle and allow the carriage G to return. The carriage Gand its guide-bars G may be so arranged as to follow the mantle a shortdistance after the latter has been lifted, so as to catch any driptherefrom in the reservoir, as will be understood. Another long periodensues, during which the ether or other solvent evaporates and themantle approaches the trimming-station at A in the dried condition. Atthis point the mantle is allowed to descend within the ring H, movingwith the mantle, as before described, to the desired distance, governedby the incline e and when fully lowered the cam or elevation 02 on thetrack N raises the rod L and swings the cutter I, inclosed in the skirtof the mantle, into shearing relation with the lower face of the ringand trims off any surplus length of skirt, returning again to thecentral position before the roller D reaches the incline c and lifts themantle clear of the ring and releases the carriage H The mantle is thenremoved at the doffing-station A and the holder, with its empty socket,passes through the partition S to receive an untreated mantle and carryit through the cycle.

In the foregoing description the output of the machine is limited tothat of the hardening-station at A, and as the burner during thatoperation has to accompany each mantle a considerable distance before itcan return for the next it is obvious that the holders must becorrespondingly widely spaced. To provide for faster working or to allowthe mantles to succeed each other more quickly, the preferred form ofmachine shown in Figs. 7 to 12, inclusive, is employed. In this form thebelt B and holders 0 thereon are in all respects the same as those abovedescribed, excepting the omission of the arms 0; but instead of singletreating devices operating on each successive mantle I mount a number ofeach class of treating devices in suitable revolving carriages or wheelsand present a mantle to each, the wheel revolving always in the samedirection, so that the mantles may follow each other at short intervals,limited only by the space necessarily occupied by the holder and thetreating device. The wheels are preferably provided with notches in theperiphery matching to the holders 0, and thus insuring the correctplacing of each mantle relatively to its adjacent treating device.Beginning at the donningstation, the holders on issuing from the openingin the partition S are filled with mantles, as before, and the beltpasses around the idler-pulley 0, corresponding to the idler A in theearlier figures, to the wheel or circular carriage P, having theequally-spaced peripheral notches p, in which are received the holders0, correspondingly spaced on the belt. The wheel is equipped with aseries of burners R, one for each notch, so disposed as to standimmediately below the mantle suspended from the adjacent holder when thelatter has adjusted itself to the notch. The wheel is revolved by thebelt B, so that its motion is uniform therewith, and the mantlemaintains its relation laterally with the burner so long as the holderis fully engaged. The slides rest upon the track E, as before, and itfollows the belt at the proper distance therefrom through its wholecourse, the depressions and elevations serving, as first described, tolower and raise the mantles at the desired times and to the requiredextents, as will be understood without detailed description. A chamberedcasting P, attached to the under face of the wheel, receives gas and airthrough the axial openings 1) p in the shaft and communicate from thechambers through the pipe R with the burner. and conditioned to the workto be performed by the cooks R and R opened, closed,and regulated by thetravel of the arms R and R over the upper surface of the circular tracksR and R having elevations and depressions (not shown) properly locatedto partially turn the cocks, and thus govern the admission of gas andair to the burner. The arms R and B may be held in contact with theirtracks by gravity or by a spring or additional weight, as will beunderstood. The first wheel or carriage of the series is at the burningoff station, where the mantle is ignited. A considerable space in whichthe burning is completed is provided between this wheel and theshaping-wheel Q, where the operation is performed by similar burners butis almost momentary, and the mantle is then carried by the belt aroundan idler O to the hardening-wheel T, also equipped with burners operatedas before, but conditioned to perform this step. This wheel ispreferably larger in diameter than the pre ceding, and the idlers O Oare so placed as to cause the belt to follow nearly the entirecircumference, so as to provide the required long period for thisportion of the process. The belt then passes the idler 0" correspondingto A in the earlier figures and thence through the opening 8 in thepartition to the treating devices on the opposite side, where .The flameis controlled V that shown in Fig. 6.

the mantles arrive sufficiently cooled to insure against accident andafter turning the idler 0 make a partial circuit of the dippingwheel U,carrying a number of small tanks U supplied with the usual inflammablecoating solution, in which by a suitable depression in the track themantles are immersed and again raised and, passing the idler O traversea long straight stretch, consuming a period of sufficient length toinsure the required evaporation of the solvent. The belt then turns theidler O and presents the mantles to the trimming-wheel V, where thelower edge or skirt of each is cut to uniform length by thecutter-wheels -V and ring V mounted on the wheel and operated from thecentral stud by suitable gearing, the general construction and operationcorresponding very closely to The belt then passes the idler O andreaches the testing-station, consisting of a wheel or carriage W, in allrespects similar to the dipping-wheel, but having a series of posts W,each carrying a sizing-cone W instead of a tank. Each cone is smoothlyfinished and is of a diameter to match to the interior of a perfectmantle when the latter is lowered upon it. If the mantle is of standardsize, it will admit the cone; but if too small it will be fractured andsubsequently thrown aside. The rings V on the trimming-wheel V may berelied upon to break any of the mantles that oversize, and both serve todestroy any that are sufficiently misshapen to warrant rejection. Thebelt then passes another idler O to the doffing-station, where theholders are emptied and the perfect mantles carefully laid aside forpacking.

The idlers are, as shown, preferably flanged to aid in holding the beltagainst sagging between the carriages and may be supplemented by othersupporting-rollers orgrooved guides if found necessary or desirable.

Figs. 13 and 14 show a step not embodied in the general plan view Fig.7, but which may be performed before the burning off. In this operationthe branding or printing ofa name or trade-mark upon the mantle isaccomplished. A wheel or carriage X, adapted to serve with the belt Band holders 0 thereon, is provided with a number of cones X of a size tobe easily received within the mantles and a corresponding number oflevers' X each carrying a block X on which are the letters or charactersto be printed. Each lever is pivoted at X and plays in a radial slot as,its motions being produced by a track Y, against which a roller X on theshort arm X of the lever travels and is held in contact therewith by theforce of a spring X Z is an inking'pad mounted on the curved spring-armZ, fixed in a standard Z and arranged in the path of the blocks' X Thelatter travel through the main portion of the circuit in a path withinthe line of the inking-pad and mantles, but on arriving at the pad aresuccessively forced outward by a suitable inward swell on the track Y,as will be understood, and come in contact momentarily with the pad andare inked and upon arriving at that portion of the circuit wheredescribed in other steps and travels to the burning-off carriage andother portions of the treatment as before.

Modifications may be made in the forms and proportions, and parts of theinvention may be used without the whole. Some of the steps may beomitted or varied and others may be substituted or introduced. Insteadof the belt B described an endless sprocket-chain running on a suitablesprocket-wheel may be employed. Some of the reciprocating devices firstdescribed may be used with one or more of the wheel devices. As beforestated, the hardening operation requires the longesttreatment, and it isapparentthat amachine constructed. to use the sliding carriages for allthe operations excepting the hardening will serve successfully with ahardening-wheel. Blocks similar in form to the holders may be secured tothe belt to match to the notches in the revolving carriages, or othermeans of.

through a portion of its travel and to return automatically to act on asucceeding mantle, all substantially as herein specified.

2. In a machine for treating mantles, an endless belt or carrier, aseries of mantle-hold ers mounted thereon, each adapted to support amantle in position for treatment, in combination with a treating deviceadapted to accompany each mantle through a portion of its travel andperform astep in the manufacture, and to return automatically to act ona succeeding mantle, all substantially as herein specified.

3. In a machine for treating mantles, an endless belt or carrier, aseries of mantle-holders mounted thereon, each adapted to support amantle in position for treatment, a partition through which said beltpasses, and treating devices separated by said partition, each adaptedto perform a step in the manufacture of the mantle, all combined andarranged to serve substantially as herein specified.

4:. In a machine for treating mantles, an-

ers mounted thereon each adapted to support a mantle in position fortreatment, a partition through which said belt passes, a burner adaptedto perform a step in the manufacture and located on one side of saidpartition, and a dipping-reservoir located on the opposite side adaptedto perform a succeediu g step, all combined and arranged to servesubstantially as herein specified.

5. In a machine for treating mantles, an endless belt or carrier, aseries of mantle-holders mounted thereon each adapted to support amantle in position for treatment, a partition through which said beltpasses, a burner adapted to perform a step in the manufacture andlocated on one side of said partition, a dipping-reservoir located onthe opposite side adapted to perform a succeeding step, and means forvarying the vertical position of each mantle relatively to said burnerand reservoir, all combined and arranged to serve substantially asherein specified.

6. The belt and pulleys on which it runs, a series of mantle-carryingslides mounted on said belt each adapted to support a mantle in positionfor treatment, a track for raising and lowering said slides, a carriagemounted in the path of said mantles and carrying a device for performinga step in the treatment, and means for engaging said slide and carriageso that the latter shall accompany the mantle through a portion of itstravel, and means for automatically returningsaid carriage so that itmay act with a succeeding mantle, all substantially as herein specified.

7. An endless belt or carrier, a series of mantle-carrying slidesmounted thereon each adapted to support a mantle in position fortreatment, and means for raising and lowering said slides, incombination with a partition through which said belt passes, a series ofburners on one side of said partition adapted to automatically performeach a step in the manufacture of a mantle, and a dipping reservoir ortank and trimming mechanism located on the opposite side of saidpartition adapted automatically to serve in performing further steps,all substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.

8. In a machine for treating mantles, an endless belt, a series ofmantle-holders thereon each adapted to support a mantle in position fortreatment, in combination with a revolving carriage moving with saidbelt, and a series of treating devices mounted on said carriage and eachadapted to accompany its mantle and perform a step in the manufacture,and on completing the revolution similarly act on a succeeding mantle,all substantially as herein specified.

9. A revolving carriage or wheel, a series of treating devices mountedthereon, a belt moving with said wheel and carrying a series ofmantle-supporting holders, means for insuring vertical alinement betweensaid devices and mantles, and means for raising and lowering the latterrelatively to said devices, all combined and arranged to servesubstantially as herein specified.

10. A revolving carriage or wheel, a series of treating devices mountedthereon, a belt moving with said Wheel and carrying a series ofmantle-supporting holders, means of engagement between said wheel andbelt whereby vertical alinement of said devices with said mantles issecured, and means for automatically moving said devices and mantlesinto operative relation with each other, all combined and arranged toserve substantially as herein specified.

11. A revolving carriage or wheel, a series of burners mounted thereonwith means for automatically controlling the supply of gas and airthereto as the carriage revolves, in combination with a belt moving withsaid carriage and carrying a series of mantle-supporting holders, meansof engagement between said carriage and belt whereby vertical alinementof said burners with said mantles is secured, and means forautomatically moving said devices and mantles into operative relationwith each other, all combined and arranged to serve substantially ashere in specified.

12. A revolving carriage or wheel having notches in its periphery andcarrying a series of mantle-treating devices, in combination with a belthaving a series of mantle-supporting holders thereon spaced to match tosaid notches and adapted to engage therein, and means for automaticallylowering and raising said mantles to bring them into operative relationwith said devices, all substantially as herein specified.

13. A revolving carriage or wheel having notches in its periphery, aseries of burners carried thereon, means for automatically controllingthe supply of gas and air to said burners as the carriage revolves, anendless belt running on said carriage, a series of holders on said beltspaced to engage said notches, a mantle-carrying slide in each of saidholders, and a track following the path of said belt and supporting saidslides and having elevations and depressions for raising and loweringsaid mantles relatively to said burners, all combined substantially asherein specified.

14. A revolving carriage or wheel, aseries of mantle-trimming devicescarried thereon, a belt moving with said carriage, a series ofmantle-supporting holders thereon, means for insuring register betweensaid trimming devices and mantles, means for automatic ally operatingsaid devices, and means for lowering and raising said mantles relativelythereto all combined substantially as herein specified.

15. A revolving carriage or wheel, a series of mantle-sizing devicesthereon, a belt run- In testimony that I claim the invention above setforth I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J. H. ABEROROMBIE.

Witnesses:

CHARLES E. BALFOUR, MICHAEL CLEARY.

ning with said carriage, a series of mantlesupporting holders thereon,means for insuring register between said sizing devices and mantles, andmeans for presenting said mantles to said devices to indicateimperfections in size, all combined and arranged to serve substantiallyas herein specified.

